1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to dental implements and, more particularly, to novel apparatus for maintaining the mouth of a patient in an open position while retaining the tongue in a desired location. More particularly, the present invention encompasses bite blocks with an adjustable tongue suppressor.
2. Relevant Technology
When a dentist performs a procedure, the patient""s mouth must be held open to provide access to the patient""s teeth. In simple, short procedures, such as an examination or teeth cleaning, the patient may be able to open his mouth wide and long enough for the dentist to perform the dental procedure. However, in longer and more complex procedures, the patient may tire from holding his or her mouth open or, in the alternative, be unable to hold his or her mouth open due to the pain of the dental procedure or numbness resulting from the anesthesia. In these types of procedures, dental mouth props may be used by a dentist in an effort to mechanically maintain the patient""s mouth in the open position.
As appreciated by those skilled in the art, dental mouth props may function in a variety of ways. For example, some prior art dental mouth props incorporate a tubular frame inserted between the cheek and gum of a patient""s mouth. Dental mouth props of this general nature generally mask the outer surface of the teeth, thereby making it difficult to view, drill, fill and/or perform other dental procedures on the teeth. Moreover, the dental mouth prop is usually positioned on both sides of the mouth, thus having the effect of obscuring the dentist""s view and access from all angles within the patient""s mouth.
Other dental mouth props have been developed by those skilled in the art which engage the teeth of a patent. These prior art dental mouth props are typically inserted between the upper and lower molars on one side of the mouth allowing a dentist to view and have working access to a larger area of the patient""s mouth. However, these devices have no provisions for patient comfort and may cut and irritate the patient""s mouth, gums and cheeks. Often these types of dental mouth prop devices are small and could be accidentally swallowed by a patient causing severe injury to the patient.
As appreciated by those skilled in the art, a patient""s tongue may also interfere with a dental procedure by interfering with the dentist""s visibility and by interrupting the limited available work space within the patient""s mouth. Traditionally, dentists have used a variety of implements in an effort to suppress the tongue during a dental procedure. For example, dentists have used hand-held suppressors to hold the tongue in place. However, the use of hand-held tongue suppressors restricts the dentist to the use of only one hand or requires a dental assistant to hold the suppressor in place. Hand-held suppressors can therefore crowd the available working space within the mouth and prevent a clear view of the targeted work area.
In view of the foregoing, efforts have been made to integrate into a single device the ability to prop open the patient""s mouth while suppressing the tongue. An example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,866 to Campbell, which issued Jun. 12, 2001. The Campbell device includes a bite block sized and configured to engage the patient""s teeth in order to thereby maintain the mouth in the desired propped-open orientation and a tongue suppressor that extends laterally from the side of the bite block. The tongue suppressor is sized and configured so as to be slidably disposed within a corresponding slot within the bite block so as to provide lateral adjustment of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block.
Whereas the Campbell device represents an improvement over previous dental mouth props and tongue suppressors, it is limited in the range of adjustability of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block. In view of the tremendous variability in the size and shape of the patient""s mouths, dental arches, teeth and tongues, the adjustability feature provided by the Campbell device may not adequately cover all such variations in an optimal manner. Accordingly, there exists a need for a bite block/tongue suppressor having greater adjustability so as to accommodate any and all differences in the size and shape of patient""s mouths, dental arches, teeth and tongues.
Such adjustable tongue suppressing bite blocks that provide greater adjustability are disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention comprises an adjustable dental apparatus for suppressing the tongue and maintaining the mouth of a patient in an open position. The dental apparatus comprises a bite block that is used to keep the patient""s mouth in the open position and a tongue suppressor adjustably connected to the bite block. In this way, a single device can be used to simultaneously maintain the patient""s mouth in an open position to facilitate access to the patient""s teeth while also suppressing the tongue so as to keep it from inadvertently (or purposefully) obstructing access.
In one embodiment of the invention, the bite block includes one or more slots therethrough configured to receive therein a corresponding portion of the tongue depressor in an adjustable fashion. The one or more slots provide or allow for at least two modes of adjustment of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block. The first mode of adjustment allows for lateral movement of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block, thereby providing the ability to extend or retract the tongue suppressor in order to effectively adjust the length thereof. In this way, the position of the tongue suppressor can be adjusted in order to account for varying tongue widths among different people. This adjustment is particularly advantageous for those embodiments in which the tongue suppressor includes a flange or other overhanging feature that engages a side of the tongue distal to the bite block.
The second mode of adjustment allows for vertical movement of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block, thereby providing the ability to raise or lower the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block and the patient""s teeth. In this way, the position of the tongue suppressor can be adjusted upwardly or downwardly in order to account for varying tongue thicknesses among different people, tooth heights, or other variations that result in variability between the relative heights of the tongue and tooth surfaces within different people.
Other, optional modes of adjustment are also within the scope of the invention, including but not limited to, adjustments that allow for one or more angular movements of the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block (e.g., lateral, axial or both).
The bite block and tongue suppressor can be of any desired design and material so long as they provide the aforementioned first and second modes of adjustment. In general, the tongue suppressor includes a retention arm that extends from its engagement with the bite block across the top of the tongue. The retention arm is the primary feature of the tongue suppressor that holds the tongue and prevents it from obstructing access to the patient""s teeth. The tongue suppressor may optionally include a flange or other projection at an end distal to the bite block that projects or curves downward into the inferior aspect of the oral cavity (e.g., the bottom cavity of the mouth). This flange or other projection can engage a side of the tongue opposite to the bite block in order to provide an additional tongue suppression feature in addition to the retention arm.
The retention arm may be configured to slide freely into and out of the slot. Alternatively, retention mechanisms such as a friction fit, a mechanical lock, notches and the like may be incorporated into the design of the bite block and/or the tongue suppressor to more securely hold the tongue suppressor in the slot of the bite block in a desired position.
The bite block may be configured with one or more shoulders that extend along the sides of the teeth. These shoulders serve to position the bite block on and around the teeth and to prevent lateral slippage. Where shoulders are present on both sides of the bite block around the inside and outside of the teeth the shoulders may be of varying heights. Because the interior shoulder may project into a target area of the dental procedure, it may advantageously be of lesser height than the exterior shoulder to thereby provide more clearance than the exterior shoulder. A lower profile interior shoulder may also be less likely to rub on the roof of the mouth and cause pain or discomfort to the patient.
Since the bite block will generally be held in place by the teeth of a patient, the bite block may advantageously include two different surfaces that engage the upper and lower teeth, respectively. The surfaces may be elastically or plastically distortable, thus allowing the teeth of the patient to slightly penetrate and deform the surface area. In this way, the surfaces provide gentle engagement of the teeth. The surfaces may include ridges, indentations, ribs, or other features that provide means for engaging the teeth and preventing slippage of the bite block relative to the teeth.
The bite block may advantageously be employed on either side of the mouth, e.g., by reversing its orientation relative to the person""s teeth or by removing and reversing the tongue suppressor relative to the bite block. The bite block may be manufactured to include an angle that matches the desired angle of an open mouth. The angle of engagement may vary depending on the age and size of a patient as well as the size of the area needed for conducting the dental procedure. The dentist may be provided with varying sized bite blocks and/or tongue suppressors to account for varying mouth sizes and shapes.
The tongue suppressing bite block may be formed, if desired, with rounded edges and surfaces to prevent injury to the soft tissue. The exterior surface of the bite block may be curved, for example, to conform to the general shape of a patient""s mouth. The tongue suppressing bite block may be formed from one or more materials selected for their low cost and/or disposability. In addition, the tongue suppressing bite block may be pre-sterilized and packaged. Moreover, the tongue suppressing bite block may be treated with a desired flavoring.
As appreciated in the dental arts, during a dental procedure, fluid may begin to build up from salivation, bleeding and irrigation. Accordingly, the flange section of the tongue suppressor may include an access notch where suction can be applied to eliminate fluids retained in the lower cavity of the patient""s mouth.
An emergency extraction mechanism may be incorporated into the tongue suppressing bite block to reduce the risk of a patient swallowing the apparatus during a dental procedure. For example, an aperture may be cut or formed in the tongue suppressor or bite block and a tether, such as a length of floss or string, may be secured to the aperture to allow a dentist or assistant to remove the apparatus from a patient""s mouth in case of emergency.
As appreciated, the internal region of the mouth is a relatively small area to perform a procedure and can become crowded inside and outside by the introduction or proximity of excess dental implements. Accordingly, the tongue suppressing bite blocks in accordance with the present invention may advantageously be configured to fit entirely within a patient""s mouth, thereby preventing overcrowding of the work area.
For purposes of disclosing various structural, comfort, protective or features that may be incorporated within the tongue suppressing bite blocks of the present invention, U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,866 is incorporated herein by reference. However, to the extent that U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,866 contains teachings that are incompatible with the second mode of adjustment described above and herein, as well the optional modes of adjustment, the present disclosure does not incorporate such teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,866.
In view of the foregoing, the tongue suppressing bite block is capable of maintaining the mouth of a patient in an open position while retaining the patient""s tongue in the lower region of the mouth to avoid obfuscating the limited available work area within the patient""s mouth. This facilitates dental procedures by improving visibility in and around the work area within a patient""s mouth. The bite block is adjustable to accommodate varying sized and shaped mouths, teeth, tongues and other features that change from person to person.
These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.